ECLECTICA #14: EXIT 69 BIG BEAVER ROAD
compiled June 1999 by Paul Estin
http://home.intranet.org/~estin/cd/

This is a collection of eclectic songs that deal in one way or another with the 
topic of sex.  Hide the kids.  Or don’t.

The Pickup:  Andy Breckman starts things off with “The Hello Hello Hello 
Song,” while “Steve” presents his own strategy in “Sensitive Guy,” and King 
Missile are more direct: “Let’s Have Sex.”  Too Much Joy then explain who 
really gets the babes: “Long-Haired Guys From England.”

The Act:  The Rude Girls suggest that one should put “Safety First.”  Berlin 
caused quite a controversy in the early ‘80s with the song “Sex (I’m A...)”; 
similarly, a decade earlier, Aphrodite’s Child had a stir with their own explicit 
song, titled “?” (the infinity symbol).  Eclectica favorite Christine Lavin 
suggests “Don’t Ever Call Your Sweetheart By His Name.”  The Nails made 
several renditions of their clever, provocative song “88 Lines About 44 
Women”; this is my favorite, the original cassette version.

When, Where, How, Whom: Uncle Bonsai explain that “Boys Want Sex In 
The Morning,” but Free Hot Lunch suggest “Sex In A Volcano” and My Life 
With The Thrill Kill Kult ponder “Sex On Wheels.”  Living Colour supply a 
fun song about being “Bi.”

Alternatives:  The Foremen offer a hysterical series of euphemisms for 
masturbation in the song “honoring” the sacking of Jocelyn Elders, “Firing 
The Surgeon General.”  Christine Lavin explains how she doesn’t write old-
fashioned love songs because love isn’t the way it used to be, in “Artificial 
Means.”  King Missile tell the tale of having a “Detachable Penis,” while 
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies suggest you “Shake Your Lovemaker” (presumably 
after it’s reattached).   One of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s lesser-known songs, but 
a real favorite of mine for its tale of perverse pursuit, is “Melanie.”  Next, 
“Jazz Discharge Party Hats” is a Frank Zappa song; this version is from an 
album for which Zappa made the selections but did not perform himself.  
Then, one-hits wonders Right Said Fred explain why “I’m Too Sexy,” and 
finally things end in bestial fashion with Captain Tractor in an untitled track.  
(Get out of the hayloft, Mabel!)


Songs from previous Eclectica mixes that might have fit with the “sex” theme:

Superman Sex Life Boogie (Tom Smith) (#2)
Entering Marion (John Forster) (#2)
Too Darn Hot (Erasure) (#3)
Muskelmann Sangen (Rocky Horror Show, Norsk Versjon) (#3)
Penis Envy (Uncle Bonsai) (#4)
Karen By Night (Jill Sobule) (#4)
Oedipus Rex (Tom Lehrer) (#8)
TV Talk (Sally Fingerett) (#8)
Smut (Tom Lehrer) (#8)
The Sodomy Song (Romanovsky & Phillips) (#10)
Clinton’s Apology (?) (#10)
Two Terms (Keith Ferguson) (#10)


About the cover:
This is a slightly-edited version of an actual road sign on I-75, north of 
Detroit.  Interestingly, the path of the highway curves sharply through that 
particular region; one wonders if a surveyor intentionally made it do so, just 
so that it would indeed be Exit 69 which led to Big Beaver Road.  Hmm.  By 
the way, another favorite road sign with a similar theme is on I-94 between 
Detroit and Chicago: Exit 92 Climax.  Gotta love driving in Michigan.